Submit probe report on Chand-Fiza saga, Punjab police told

Chandigarh, Feb 25 (IANS) The Punjab rights commission Wednesday asked the state police to submit a detailed investigation report about the Chand Mohammed-Fiza saga before March 31. A bench of justices R.S. Mongia and Baldev Singh of the Punjab State Human Rights Commission (PSHRC) issued notices to additional director general of police (human rights) and senior superintendent of police Mohali.

The notice follows a plea on behalf of Anuradha Bali alias Fiza by NGO Global Human Rights Council (GHRC) to the PSHRC complaining about the inaction of the police.

“The PSHRC considered it as a case of sheer violation of human rights. We are satisfied (with court notices to the police),” Arvind Thakur, chairperson of the GHRC, told IANS.

Fiza, the second wife of former Haryana deputy chief minister Chander Mohan alias Chand Mohammed, had submitted a complaint against her husband with the Mohali police.

Fiza wanted an FIR against Chand accusing him of rape, criminal intimidation, cheating, defamation and hurting her religious sentiments.

The police summoned Fiza and Chand last Friday for their statements.

While Fiza went to the police, her husband - who has been underground since Jan 28 after he left his second wife’s house here less than two months of the wedlock - did not turn up.

Chand sent a fax message to the Mohali police Monday saying: “I got to know about the allegations against me through the media. Fiza is still my wife. I have not deserted her. I remain a Muslim.”

He also refuted allegations that he had converted to Islam only to get married a second time.

In his fax, he said he would be back from London only in April.

Police officials said they would move the court against Chand if he fails to cooperate in investigations.

Chand, the elder son of former Haryana chief minister Bhajan Lal, is a sitting Haryana Congress legislator.

He lost his job as Haryana’s high-profile deputy chief minister in December last year after he emerged from 40-day hiding with a new name, religion and wife.